Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: OH No Filters
From: InfinityDT@aol.com
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 1999 17:11:35 EDT

In a message dated 9/29/99 4:44:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
ramarren@bayarea.net writes:

<< My own testing in this area convinces me that there are many situations
 where even a super high quality filter costs me something in 
 terms of flare/loss of contrast/loss of resolution.  >>

Once upon a time a couple years ago it was cold, drizzling and nearly dark 
outside and a couple rain droplets had blown in on the front element of my 
180 3.4 APO-Telyt, blatantly violating the law that says a lens hood is 
supposed to protect from that sort of thing, and forcing me to wipe it off 
quickly with a microfiber cloth I keep in a ziplock bag in my pocket.  When I 
got home, I noticed several deep circular scratches on the element (evidently 
there were a couple specks of grit that also broke the lenshood-as-protection 
law).  I called Leica USA and was quoted the price for replacement of the 
front element group (it's a cemented pair): $800 plus labor.  Well, I'd only 
paid $1000 for the lens so I sold it as-is for $500 which made more economic 
sense than having it repaired.  Since that time I have kept UV filters on all 
my Leica lenses with no ill-effects.  But recently I returned from Paris and 
noted in some otherwise great shots of the Eiffel Tower at night taken with a 
35 ASPH Summicron-M that the huge illuminated "2000" had a ghosted 
upside-down image as well.  So I am reminded that there are occasions when 
I've got to either unscrew the filter and take the shot, or else put the 
lenscap back on and walk away.

DT